Sue

Sue is the founder of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents blog, established in 2005.. She has an MSW from the University in Pittsburgh and a BA in Political Science from Marymount University. Her undergraduate claim to fame is a six month stint as an intern with then Congressman Rick Santorum in 1991. Born and raised in West Mifflin, Sue attended college in Washington DC, then graduate school in Louisiana and ended up in Kentucky doing social service ministry. She returned to Pittsburgh in 1997. She now lives on Pittsburgh’s Northside with her wife, Laura. She was among the first out LGBTQ people named to Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 in 2004 and is a graduate of Leadership Development Initiative Class VII. After being fully and permanently disabled in 2010, Sue has continued to serve the community. She founded the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project to address hunger and environmental issues. In 2015, she launched the #AMPLIFY LGBTQ archive in conjunction with a two-year artist in residence stint with Most Wanted Fine Art. Sue and her wife have fostered over 25 kittens through Pittsburgh CAT and Homeless Cat Management Team, and now manage multiple community cat colonies in their neighborhood. In 2020, Sue cofounded the Pittsburgh MasQUe ProjecT to support the queer and trans community during the pandemic, distributing tens of thousands of face masks and other supplies throughout the region. In 2021, Sue created the #PghCatFolx projects to support neighbors working with community cats. Under that heading came the Dr. John P. Ruffing DVM Pet Food Projects, memorializing one of her very best friends who died in 2007. In 2021, Sue worked with community leaders to develop and establish a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Pittsburgh LGBTQ Charities (PLC) where she currently serves as Board President. PLC absorbed the #PghCatFolx projects. Also in 2021, Sue was the first person in history appointed to the City of Pittsburgh LGBTQIA+ Commission and was unanimously elected as one of three inaugural co-chairs. Her blogging has garnered numerous awards Favorite GLBT Media Publication - 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Favorite GLBT Social Media - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (Keystone Alliance Gaylife Newsletter Reader’s Poll) Best Local Blogger - 2016, 2019 (Pittsburgh City Paper Reader’s Poll) LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Blogger - 2020 (SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh) Outstanding Blog - 2019, 2022 (GLAAD Media Awards) Sue has also personally been honored Person of the Year - The Advocate Magazine, 2022 15 Lesbian Icons - LGBTQ Nation, 2023 LGBTQIA Pittsburgh’s Best Lesbian Activist - SisTersPgh, People’s Pride of Pittsburgh 2022 Sue believes in identifying and filling gaps in supports & services rather than recreating the wheel. She uses both her undergraduate and graduate degrees on a regular basis as a blogger and activist and regularly circulates her 1991 internship photo just to shake things up on her social media feeds. Her own experiences with cPTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and other health challenges have fueled her health blogging and activism. She also writes extensively about her family history, drawing on her amateur genealogy hobby. The blog regularly reviews arts and cultural events as well as exploring restaurants, soap opera storylines, and hyper-local news. Sue and her wife Laura have been together since 2003. They were married on a very cold February 2, 2021 in their backyard at a very small ceremony co-officiated by their pagan priestess friend, Anne, and then-Mayor Bill Peduto. They have six niblings, four in Pittsburgh and two in Philadelphia.

Posts by Sue:

Activism

Donate to the Peoples Pride March 2K17

June 2, 2017 by

I had originally set a goal of raising $1,000 for #AMPLIFY during Pride month by sharing this link every day on my own social media channels and basically badgering people into helping us fund the project. Then I learned that the Peoples Pride March had no budget and no fundraiser. So I launched a crowdfund […]

AMPLIFY

AMPLIFYING is most used word in Pennsylvania*

June 2, 2017 by

Our friend Vannevar shared this image with us today. Read it closely. We’ll accept this acknowledgement in the spirit with which it was intended. 

Other

June 2, 2017 by

https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/state_word_map.png

ActivismPride

Roots Pride Organizes Final Edition Weekend June 3 & 4

June 1, 2017 by

Roots Pride will host their final events this weekend to highlight the success of the past three years and the transformative power of resistance. We hope to see everybody that worked so hard to make Roots Pride a reality and all those who will carry on the legacy of standing up for queer and trans […]

AMPLIFYFamily

#AMPLIFY LGBTQ Families, 40 Parents Share Their Experiences

May 31, 2017 by

Once again in honor of the 12th Annual Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day, I am sharing #AMPLIFY posts from parents, step parents  and grandparents and other caretakers of children.  Blogging for LGBTQ Families Day is meant to bring together people who are LGBTQ as well as our families and allies. It’s a celebration of LGBTQ families […]

CulturePrideSponsored Events

Renaissance City Choir Pride Concert June 3 & 4 #PghPride

May 30, 2017 by

Start off your Pride month celebration with a powerful and important annual event from Renaissance City Choir – the Pride Concerts Two performances in the East Liberty Presbyterian Church Courtyard Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4, both at 4pm Tickets range from $10 for students to a $50 VIP package. General tickets are $25. […]

ActivismEnvironmentPets

Update on Highland Park Reservoir Ducklings – Why Is The Water Level So Low?

May 29, 2017 by

Last week, I blogged about a situation in the Highland Park Reservoir – ducklings were dying and their bodies left floating in the water. We have a positive update, but lots of questions. First, the good news. Another set of hatchlings (5 in total) seem to be doing well so far. Mama duck is scooting […]

ActivismAMPLIFY

Ten Clothing Donation Tips for the #AMPLIFY @GWSWPA Collection Event

May 28, 2017 by

We are hosting a collection of items to be donated to Goodwill – we receive a $.10/pound of usable donations. So you can pass along your extra stuff to a great LGBTQ friendly organization AND help fund our work. This will be a series of posts leading up to that collection with tips and suggestions, […]

Activism

The Tragedy of Dakota James and Overlooking Other Violent Epidemics

May 27, 2017 by

This post began as a Facebook post as I reflected on the outpouring of skepticism around the autopsy findings in the death of Dakota James. The autopsy declared his death an accidental drowning, suggesting he fell into the water on his own. His family rejects that finding and insists that there must be more of an […]

Activism

More Info on How to Donate Items to the Children of Kala Thomas #SayHerName

May 26, 2017 by

You have generously helped Kala’s family reach 10% of their crowdfund goal to meet the needs of her four children in 24 hours. Kala had two sets of twins. The eldest are 8 years old and the babies are 3 months old. Please consider a modest donation to ensure that the family does not have […]